BRUSSELS: The European Union and drugmaker AstraZeneca said Friday that they reached a deal to end a damaging legal battle over the slow pace of deliveries of the company’s COVID-19 vaccines.
The European Commission, which is the EU’s executive branch, said AstraZeneca made a “firm commitment” to deliver a total of 300 million doses by March next year, as agreed under the advance purchasing agreement the two sides signed a year ago. About 100 million doses have already been supplied.
The settlement involves the Anglo-Swedish vaccine-maker providing 135 million doses by the end of this year plus a further 65 million doses in the first quarter of 2022. The EU’s 27 member countries will be given “regular delivery schedules” and discounts if supplies are delayed.
AstraZeneca was seen as a key pillar of the EU’s vaccine rollout, and the court tussle over delivery obligations further tarnished the company’s image after its shots were linked to very rare cases of blood clots. The commission insists it has no issue with the quality of the firm’s vaccines.
The AstraZeneca shot is also a linchpin in the global strategy to get vaccines to poorer countries. It is cheaper and easier to use than rival vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and has been endorsed for use in over 50 countries. US regulators are still evaluating the vaccine.
In June, a Belgian court ruled that AstraZeneca had committed a “serious breach” of its contract with the 27-nation bloc. The company said at the time that the ruling showed it “fully complied with its agreement” with the European Commission.
The executive vice president of AstraZeneca’s BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, Ruud Dobber, said Friday that he was “very pleased that we have been able to reach a common understanding which allows us to move forward and work in collaboration with the European Commission to help overcome the pandemic.”
Dobber said in a statement that the company is “fully committed” to manufacturing the vaccine “for Europe following the release for supply of more than 140 million doses to date at no profit.” He added that the company also would work with the commission to support COVAX, the global vaccine-sharing program.
AstraZeneca said that, along with its partners, it has supplied more than 1.1 billion doses of vaccine to over 170 countries, and that approximately two-thirds have gone to low- and lower-middle-income countries.
The EU had claimed from the beginning that it launched an emergency legal procedure against AstraZeneca simply to secure the vaccine doses that EU member countries were promised. It accused the company of acting in bad faith by providing shots to other countries, notably former EU member Britain, and argued that it should have used its production sites in the UK to help fill the EU’s order.
But AstraZeneca argued that the challenges of producing and delivering the vaccine couldn’t have been foreseen during a once-in-a-century pandemic, and that its UK sites were primarily meant to be used to service its contract with the British government.
The advance purchasing agreement also foresaw an option for the delivery of an extra 100 million doses, which the commission has since declined to take up.
EU, AstraZeneca reach deal to end vaccine delivery dispute
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EU, AstraZeneca reach deal to end vaccine delivery dispute

- EU said AstraZeneca made a “firm commitment” to deliver a total of 300 million doses by March 2022
- The settlement involves the Anglo-Swedish vaccine-maker providing 135 million doses by 2021’s end
US recalls top diplomat in Colombia for ‘urgent consultations’

- Bruce said the United States “is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern”
- Petro claimed a far-right “leader,” had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
WASHINGTON: The United States recalled its top diplomat in Colombia on Thursday for “urgent consultations” and expressed “deep concern” over the relationship between the two countries.
Charge d’affaires John McNamara was being recalled “following baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the Government of Colombia,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
Bruce did not specify what the offending remarks were.
In addition to McNamara’s recall, Bruce said the United States “is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship,” without detailing the actions.
She stressed, however, that Colombia remains an “essential strategic partner” despite Washington’s “policy differences with the current government.”
“We are committed to close cooperation on a range of shared priorities, including regional security and stability,” Bruce added.
Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro accused the United States and “right-wing extremists” last month of plotting to overthrow him.
Without providing further details, Petro claimed a far-right “leader,” who he did not identify, had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Colombia leftist government also recently refused a US request to extradite two prominent guerrilla leaders wanted by Washington for drug trafficking.
Colombia was until recently one of the United States’ closest partners in Latin America.
Freight shipping on Mosel river in Germany blocked after accident

- The river, known as the Moselle in France, is an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France
- Vessels cannot pass the Sankt Aldegund lock in either direction, the spokesperson said
HAMBURG: Freight shipping on the river Mosel in west Germany has been blocked to shipping after an accident involving a passenger ship that damaged a lock, authorities said on Thursday.
The river, known as the Moselle in France, is an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France. Transit was halted after an accident on Wednesday damaged a lock at Sankt Aldegund between Koblenz and Trier, a police spokesperson said.
Vessels cannot pass the Sankt Aldegund lock in either direction, the spokesperson said.
Technical experts on Thursday were examining the lock, and it is not yet possible to comment on the level of damage or say how long the impact on shipping will last, river navigation authority WSA said.
German federal transport minister Patrick Schnieder said in a statement he will visit the accident site later on Thursday.
“I will do everything in my power to ensure that the lock can resume operations as soon as possible,” Schnieder said.
The river was closed to inland waterways shipping in December after an accident that damaged a lock at Mueden, south of Koblenz, and only reopened in February after lengthy repairs.
Initial indications are that the lock’s concrete structure and drive mechanism were not damaged in the accident, WSA head Eric Oehlmann said in a statement.
Technicians are currently assessing whether it is possible to resume limited lock operations for the waiting vessels to pass, he said.
“If not, we will find another solution, for example, through emergency locks with temporary water control barriers, which have already proven effective,” Oehlmann said.
A temporary lock was successful in allowing ships to transit during the winter disruption.
“Despite the accident, there is determination that shipping on the Moselle will not come to a complete standstill," Oehlmann said.
Japan ‘seriously concerned’ after Iran stops cooperating with IAEA

- ‘The engagement of the IAEA is essential for resolving Iran’s nuclear issue,’ the Japanese Foreign Ministry says
TOKYO: Japan has expressed “serious concern” over Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Japan attaches great importance to the activities of the IAEA in verifying Iran’s nuclear program and expresses serious concern over this announcement,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
“The engagement of the IAEA is essential for resolving Iran’s nuclear issue.”
Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday that they would no longer cooperate with the agency. Japan had been urging Iran to continue to cooperate with the IAEA and said all necessary diplomatic efforts to achieve this will go on, in cooperation with the international community and relevant organizations.
“Japan has consistently emphasized the importance of resolving Iran’s nuclear issue through dialogue, based on the position that Iran’s development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed, for the sake of maintaining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,” the Foreign Ministry added.
Ex-Labour chief could form pro-Palestine party in UK

- Corbyn in talks with Independent Alliance MPs elected in 2024 for opposing Gaza war
- Jeremy Corbyn: That grouping will come together. There will be an alternative
LONDON: Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has suggested he could launch a political movement to provide a left-wing “alternative” to the governing party before the next general election.
Corbyn was suspended from Labour in 2020 by the UK’s current Prime Minister Keir Starmer due to a row over antisemitism.
He has since sat as an independent MP, and has hinted at a desire to form a new group centered around socialist policies with a pro-Palestine stance.
Corbyn told ITV’s “Peston” political show that he is holding discussions with members of the Independent Alliance, who were elected last year by running on pro-Palestine platforms against Labour MPs.
The alliance includes Leicester South MP Shockat Adam; Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan; Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain; and Dewsbury and Batley MP Iqbal Mohamed.
“That grouping will come together. There will be an alternative,” Corbyn said, adding that its foreign policy platform would be “based on peace rather than war,” and that it would seek to alleviate poverty and inequality.
Denmark vows to push EU membership for Ukraine

- "We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Frederiksen said
- Zelensky is meeting Frederiksen in the city of Aarhus, as well as European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa
AARHUS, Denmark: Denmark promised on Thursday to push for Ukraine to join the EU, as the Nordic country welcomed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the start of its six-month EU presidency.
Ukraine launched its bid to become an EU member in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 invasion, but it has stalled because of opposition from Hungary.
"We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement, promising to mix increased military support to Kyiv with sanctions on Moscow.
Zelensky is meeting Frederiksen in the city of Aarhus, as well as European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Frederiksen has stressed the importance of European security, which she links to a strict migration policy, and the country has promised to push the agenda and champion Ukraine during its EU presidency.
The Aarhus meeting comes as the United States announced it would stop supplying some weapons to Ukraine, after President Donald Trump effectively nixed the country's attempts to join the NATO military alliance.
Russian strikes have intensified in the absence of progress on resolving the conflict, and the US moves have severely hampered Kyiv, which has relied on Western military support since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
"Ukraine is essential to Europe's security. Our contribution to Ukraine is also a protection of our freedom," Frederiksen said.
"Ukraine belongs in the European Union. It is in both Denmark's and Europe's interest. Therefore, the Danish EU presidency will do everything we can to help Ukraine on their way towards EU membership."
Denmark's Europe minister Marie Bjerre told reporters earlier on Thursday that Ukraine's EU membership bid was "very important for us".
"We are still trying to lift the resistance from Hungary," she said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Ukraine's membership of the EU would "ruin" the 27-nation bloc.
Using its veto power, Hungary has effectively frozen the accession process.
Ukraine has insisted it still hopes Budapest can be brought around, claiming intensive work is being done "behind the scenes".
The Danish government said discussions at the Aarhus meeting would include increased military support, cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry and new sanctions against Russia.
The Nordic nation has also made repeated calls for Europe to boost defence spending.
Denmark wants to move forward on a European plan presented in March to increase the defence capabilities of EU countries using simplified procedures and loans to finance investments in the European defence industry.
The Scandinavian country has already begun increasing its own defence spending, which now exceeds three percent of GDP.